


Run To You

by Star55



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, Girl Direction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2019-12-22
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:46:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21893863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Star55/pseuds/Star55
Summary: Liam is out for her morning run when she gets... slobbered on by a random dog?
Relationships: Niall Horan/Liam Payne
Comments: 1
Kudos: 21





	Run To You

**Author's Note:**

> This isn't beta read by anyone other than myself, so if there are any glaring errors, please kindly point them out. Thank you.

_One… Two… Three… Four…_

Liam closes her eyes, her feet hitting the hard surface of the road underneath her. The air is still. The world is quiet. It’s the most peaceful time of day, she thinks. She inhales, letting the cool autumn air fill her lungs. It’s still dark enough that there aren’t any birds, people, cars, or _anyone_ out. No one except her. And she loves it.

She counts again, losing herself in the rhythm and the motion of running. 

She’s been running for forty minutes already. She wants to make it to fifty today, so she should probably start slowing down.

The beat of her heat thumps against her chest, reminding her that she’s alive, alive, alive.

As she rounds the corner, heading for her home stretch, Liam sees a cat up ahead, darting across the road, its eyes shining brightly in the streetlight overhead, creating an eerie look about it.

The shadows of the trees move with her as she runs. To anyone else, it might seem a little creepy, but Liam enjoys it. She isn’t someone who is scared easily.

Which is, of course, when something startles her so mightily that she yelps and jumps about a foot in the air. 

Liam’s heart thuds harder in her chest when she’s all but tackled from behind. Before she can even put any defensive moves into place, a big, slobbering lick is going up her cheek.

“ _Rochester_!” An exasperated voice exclaims. “Down, boy!”

Liam pants, her gaze focusing on the voice, the situation, and exactly what is happening. A girl wearing a beanie and what is possibly the cosiest navy blue jumper Liam has ever seen, comes out of the shadows. The dog, immediately goes to the girl’s side and she clips the leash back onto his harness.

“Sorry about that.”

Liam nods, still trying to get her breathing back under control. Now that she’s not fearing for her life, she feels a little bewildered about this entire thing. It’s not even six in the morning – what on earth is this girl doing out so early? 

“Cute dog,” Liam says now that she’s fully able to appreciate the German shepherd. She reaches out a hand and Rochester comes forwards, sniffing at her hand before licking it. 

“Thanks,” the girl replies. “He’s my mate’s. I’m dog sitting while he’s away.”

Liam nods. 

“Sorry again,” the girl apologies. “I’m Niall, by the way. And this is Rochester.” Rochester moves to sit by Niall’s side and he looks up at Liam, his tongue lolling out of his mouth as he breathes.

“Liam,” she says, running a hand over her sweaty brow. 

Her heart is still thudding in her chest – whether from being startled or her run, Liam isn’t quite sure. But it’s still thudding as she gets her breath back. She notices that Niall is still standing there, looking at her, biting down on her bottom lip. It’s then that Liam realises that she’s never seen Niall before – and she knows everyone in this neighbourhood. Her defences immediately go back up. Niall could be a robber for all she knows, so it’s better to be safe than sorry, she decides.

“So, I know this is weird, but do you know where to get a decent cup of coffee around here?” Niall asks, giving Liam a hopeful smile. 

Liam nods, still wary. “Yeah,” she replies. “My favourite café is just two blocks away. My friends own it and they open every morning at six.”

“Aces,” Niall replies, relief flooding her tone. “Maybe I can buy you a cup? To apologise for Rochester almost scaring you to death?”

“…I wasn’t scared,” Liam says, but the smile on Niall’s face tells her otherwise.

“Mate, you _yelped_ ,” Niall says. In the low overhead street lights, Liam can see her eyes dancing with mirth. It’s that look in her eyes that has Liam deciding that she can trust this girl. Maybe not Rochester, because he startled her, but she’s definitely warming up to Niall.

Liam shakes her head and then nods. “Alright, I was scared,” she admits. Her breathing is thankfully back to normal by now. “I wasn’t expecting… well, anyone. I’m usually the only one up at this hour.”

Niall smiles an easy grin in her direction. “I’m under strict orders to walk Rochester before the sun comes up. Apparently he likes the early morning air.” She shrugs and gives Liam a ‘what can you do?’ expression.

“Anyway, about that coffee?” Niall asks.

Liam smiles. “How about I meet you back here in half an hour? I need to shower and change.” Damn her overly-helpful nature. She isn’t sure that Niall wold want to go have a coffee with her, but there she is, offering it up like it’s no big deal.

Niall nods. “Alright, see you then.” Well, at least it didn’t end in a rejection, Liam thinks. The girl is cute. She’s still wary about that dog, though. 

Liam does a half-stilted wave and then jogs the rest of the way back to her house. She doesn’t take long to shower and change into comfier clothing before meeting Niall back outside, this time without Rochester by her side.

“What kind of name is Rochester, anyway?” Liam asks as they walk.

“Ah, Lewis is a bit of a Jane Eyre fan. Not that he’d admit it out loud, of course,” Niall replies. “He’s a big old softie at heart. Both Lewis and Rochester. They’re perfect for each other, really.” She sounds amused as she speaks, and Liam gathers that Niall and Lewis are close friends from the way she talks.

Liam can’t help but smile at that. They chat as they make it to the café, only stopping when they place their orders. 

Niall sits down on one of the sofas against the far wall and Liam joins her, their knees knocking together as they get comfortable. 

“Since I’m going to be around for a while,” Niall begins, setting her mug down after her first sip. “Do you know of any good restaurants?”

“Yeah, a few,” Liam replies.

“Excellent,” Niall says. “Want to go out on a date?”

Liam probably looks like a deer caught in headlights, but the easiness of Niall’s smile snaps her out of that quite quickly. “Yeah,” she says with a nod, “I’d love to.”

Niall grins and knocks their knees together once more before picking up her mug. 

Liam smiles into her drink, wondering just how she managed to score herself a date before seven in the morning.

**Author's Note:**

> hi again. if you've got this far, i hope you enjoyed this fic. ♥  
> please leave me a comment if you liked it. i love comments so very much a lot. ♥  
> criticism, constructive or not, is not welcome.
> 
> rebloggable post on my [tumblr](https://star55.tumblr.com/post/189801353276)


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